I don’t think the reality has set in that we are going. Last night=super fun. We had an extended guest list at the Spoke, an amazing night and fantastic turnout. I love seeing my peeps and they were indeed there in droves. I wore a DVF dress that is covered in airplanes. I thought it was very thematic. I can’t imagine that I won’t be seeing most of these people until the New Year. I also can’t imagine that I am actually going to be gone for 13 weeks. Jenny C–pregnant with twins, on bedrest, made it to last night’s Bon Voyage. JoJo, just had Lily a week ago. Kelly just had Reed two weeks ago. They were all there. It was fantastic. I was so happy that they were able to be there.

My current biggest stresses are

a) Packing
Tempis is coming to help me edit once I get back from Alaska (I leave tomorrow at 6 am). I had a nice little list that I was working from, but in my usual style, I started throwing stuff in the bag. There is far too much.

b) Laundry
I can’t stop thinking about it and am very hopeful it isn’t a huge issue. Imagine coming home after a 3-week trip. You could pretty much guarantee that the first thing you do on your return is empty the entire contents of your bag into the washing machine. We would do the same, except we won’t be home for another 10 weeks.

c) Brazil
I still don’t have a visa. I could get one this week, but alas, I am in Alaska and need it.

On Monday, September 21, I will go to the embassy early. Thank God it is around the corner (Bay and Bloor–over top of the TD bank). I will give them my passport, travel documents and pray that they can turn it around in a day. If not, I will pick up my passport on Tuesday and be without a Brazillian visa. Keep in mind, I have been working on getting the visas since the end of June. Brazil has not made life easy. Marc has an EU passport and doesn’t need a visa to enter Brazil.

But really, last night’s bon voyage party at the spoke was a huge success. I hope that it is an indicator for the fabulous things to come in the next few months. Thank you to everyone who came. I felt so loved and so blessed to have THE most incredible people in my life. I am one lucky bitch.

I was really quite pleased with myself, setting this blog up without the help of my computer fancy pants special friend MFB. A few people started to contact me and wanted to know why they couldn’t add their email addresses to the ‘follow’ option. Yahoo and google accounts only. argh.

Despite my exciting independent blog plans, Marc is reworking a different blog site that will allow any email address to follow us. I will keep my sexy six followers (yay!) up to date. I suspect we will use our old school domain–www.kittyandthegerm.com I will keep everyone posted.

We leave in exactly 3 weeks. I can’t believe it. I also can’t believe that I will be in Alaska for a week before we leave. The packing is really starting to become a daunting task. My chronic lists don’t seem to be helping. I can see four lists on my desk right now.

Tempis and Big have an issue with my planned footwear and want me to rethink my choices. I am bringing 5 pairs in total. The plan right now is to bring two pairs of Taryn Rose leopard shoes. One heel, one flat. They’re fun and fancy. I am all over the animal prints–from t-shirts and earrings to shoes and scarves, I will be letting out a big roar, or at least a little purr in each country on the journey. Meeeeeeow!

We’re packing. We’re listing. We’re going.

I can’t believe that in 3 weeks, we will be gone for months. That is 13! What an adventure this is going to be. Marc, being German, of course knows many people who have done a similar journey, often for much longer duration. Me, being a Canadian knows no one who has taken such a journey. Maybe backpacking straight out of uni, but knee deep into our careers? Unheard of.

The journey? Here are some stats.
Duration: September 23-December 23.
Route:

Hong Kong
China
Vietnam
Cambodia
Thailand
India
Dubai
South Africa
Brazil

So far I have decided what shoes and books will be coming with me. That’s about it. Making our time even more crunched is the fact that I am in Alaska for work the week before we leave.

First book: Gone With the Wind I have seen the movie so many times, and bought this book from the Margaret Mitchell museum in Atlanta on my first visit to see Marc. Of course it is a big, heavy, hard cover version which I will plan to post home.

Marc is currently in Chicago getting his visa for China. I have to say, of all the embassies I have dealt with, the worst has been Brazil. Without question the most efficient has been China. Brazil has been the least helpful, the most vague, and the shortest duration. I can’t believe that the visa will expire before I arrive and no one can offer me any suggestions. I am really hopeful that I am not stuck in the San Paolo airport.

We got married!

We captured our honeymoon, our “Journey around the World” from September to December 2009. You can read all about our magical trip below. Enjoy over 1200 Photos, too.

Our original Wedding site is archived here as well. Check it out, if you’re interested on how it all started: